Influence tactics, customer trust and buyer–supplier long-term relationships: evidence from B2B companies in an emerging economy

Abstract

Influence tactics have been an important issue in the fields of management, organisational psychology and marketing research. This study aims to investigate the impact of influence tactics on customer trust, the link between customer trust and buyer–supplier long-term relationships and the mediating effect of customer trust between influence tactics and buyer–supplier long-term relationships. A structural equation model is used to test the hypotheses with a sample data of 306 purchasing managers from business to business (B2B) firms in Vietnam. Empirical results indicate a significant effect of influence tactics on customer trust. Information exchange, recommendations, promises, ingratiation and inspirational appeals tactics are found positively related to customer trust, except for threats tactic. Customer trust also has a positive influence on buyer–supplier long-term relationships. In addition, customer trust mediates the relationship between influence tactics and buyer–supplier long-term relationships. Findings provide important implications for academic researchers and business managers in the fields of influence tactics and relationship marketing.